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When you think of China and its mythology, one of the first creatures that springs to mind is the Chinese dragon. This legendary creature is without a doubt one of the most well-known aspect of Chinese culture abroad.

But what do you really know about the Chinese dragon, aside that it’s a pretty cool Chinese Zodiac Sign and a popular choice for a tattoo? Do you know what a Chinese dragon means and symbolizes? No? Then you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to tell you the essential things to know about the Chinese dragon. You’ll learn what they look like, what link they have with human beings, cool Chinese dragon facts, their role in Chinese society and more! Ready to learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Chinese dragon, the coolest creature to not-roam the earth?

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What’s a Chinese dragon?

You may have heard that Chinese people are fond of dragons but you may wonder what a Chinese dragon looks like. Since they are quite different from the Western dragon, let’s start by giving you a description of this legendary creature.

Physical aspect

In stories, a Chinese dragon can be composed of many different animal parts, but it’s more commonly depicted as having: the tail of a fish, the scales of a carp, the neck of a snake, the belly of a clam, the head of a camel, the claws of an eagle, the paws of a tiger, the ears of a cow, the eyes of a demon, the beard of a goat and the horns of a stag. Quite the beast, huh?

Chinese dragons can be of many colors; they can be blue, yellow, black, white or red. Depending on the dynasty that was ruling, the “official” Chinese dragon color varied.

Under the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D.), for instance, the Chinese dragon symbolizing the Emperor, who was viewed as a god at that time, was turquoise. This turquoise Chinese dragon also symbolized the fifth element in the Chinese five elements, the sun, the East and the West.
Han dynasty aside, it was mostly the yellow Chinese dragon that was chosen by the Emperors as their symbol. This was particularly the case during the Qing dynasty (from 1644 to 1912 AD). The Qing’s Emperor Yan, in fact, was said to be the offspring of his mother’s telepathic communications with a mystical Chinese dragon (not unlike the first Emperor of China, as you’ll see later), and claimed that the most powerful Chinese dragon was yellow.

Behavior

Chinese dragons are given many powers in Chinese folklore. They are said to control thunder, floods and rain. Unlike the western Chinese dragon, rumored to be evil and dangerous, the Chinese dragon is said to be kind and noble. He symbolizes divinity, goodness, excellence, power and energy. Chinese dragons are also very smart. They are not to be afraid of, but are mainly considered as protectors that keep people from harm. Chinese dragons typically live in heaven or in worshiped places.

The Nine Chinese dragons

In addition to Chinese dragons of various colors, the Chinese believe in many different types of dragons. Some of the most well known Chinese dragons are the nine dragons.
According a very popular legend in China, the Chinese dragon King has nine sons. These nine dragon sons all look different and hold various powers.

– 贔屭Bì xì is the eldest Chinese dragon son. 贔屭 is usually depicted as a hybrid between a dragon and a tortoise. Its shell is so strong and large that he can carry heavy objects such as stones. You’ll often find him portrayed in old temples and on tombstones.

The second son of the Dragon King is 狴犴Bì àn. 狴犴 looks more like a tiger than a dragon. You’ll find him keeping guard in front of jail gates, but also in courts of justice.Its main characteristic is steadiness. You can definitely trust him when it comes to security and justice!

The third Chinese dragon son is 螭吻Chī wěn. 螭吻 looks like a big lizard because it’s an hybrid between a fish and a dragon. 螭吻 likes to swallow evil spirits to keep them away from the humans. As such, people used to make 螭吻 statues and place them on their roofs ridgepole to feel protected (mostly on palaces since ordering custom-made statues was an expensive hobby). You may run into 螭吻 if you go by the sea as this dragon is said to live in the ocean.

Then, 蒲牢Púláo is the fourth son. Nobody really knows what he looks like, some say he’s a dog combined with a dragon. His power is to scream to warn people if a disaster is coming. His loud cries are so noisy that people often represent him on bells’ handles.

As for 囚牛Qiú niú who is the fifth son of the Dragon king, there is no clear clue on his physical aspect. But still, according to his name 牛niúcow, he is said to be an hybrid between a cow and a dragon. Others even claim he is a yellow Chinese dragon. One thing everyone agrees on is that 囚牛 loves music and plays it very well. So, you’ll often find him depicted on musical instruments.

The sixth son is 饕餮Tāotiè. He is an hybrid between a wolf and a dragon and is said to be the guardian of wealth and well-being. We also found that he loves food and is very greedy and gluttonous. There’s not much information about him except that you can find him depicted on ritual bronze vessels. Nowadays, 饕餮 is used to describe people who are fond of good food.

The seventh son of the Chinese dragon King is 狻猊Suānní. Often depicted as an hybrid between a lion and a dragon, his body is covered with flames. He is viewed as the Chinese dragon of wisdom and knowledge. 狻猊 likes to calmly sit cross-legged and spends his days smelling incense. You’ll find him in Buddhist Temples, depicted on incense burners or on the seats.

The eighth son, 睚眦Yázì, has a leopard head and the body of a dragon. 睚眦 likes to get into fights all the times and enjoys killing. Unsurprisingly, 睚眦 is viewed as the Chinese dragon god of battles and wars. You’ll find him on sword ornaments.

And finally, 蚣蝮Gōngfù sometimes called 霸下Bà xià is the Chinese dragon god of the water and the Dragon King’s ninth son. He’s half snake half Chinese dragon. 蚣蝮 is said to be a very good swimmer and to live near bridges.

The 9 Chinese dragons are a symbol you’ll often run into in China, and it’s often used in architecture. For instance,you can check the Nine-dragon Wall in Beijing here.

Just so you know, not all sources agree on which were the 9 legendary Chinese dragons. Sometimes, you’ll find other listed, and you may run into at least 14 different dragons in stories. And depending on the regions of China, different Chinese dragons can be depicted in the local folklore.

Now you know what a Chinese dragon looks like, it’s time for you to understand its origins. In ancient China, the beliefs started with the rise of the great dynasties.

The relationship between Chinese people and Chinese dragons

Dragons have always been related to people, since Chinese beliefs are very strong. Let’s see how they created this magical relationship and why the Chinese dragon is such a important cultural symbol in China.

Descendants of Chinese dragons

According to legends and stories, Chinese people used to believe they descend from dragons. Say what? How is it possible? Don’t worry, we’re going to explain.

To understand why the Chinese hold this belief, you need to look at where dragon lore comes from.

Where does the Chinese dragon come from?

Stories state that a long time ago, around ~2500 BC, in ancient China, tribes fought each other to gain more lands. The so-called Yellow Emperor Huang Di made an alliance with another tribe leader named Yan Di to gain an edge in the battle. Yan Di was said to be born thanks to his mother’s telepathic communications with a powerful dragon. Ah the story goes, that powerful dragon helped him through his quests and thanks to the dragon’s help, both Huang Di and Yang Di defeated their common enemy the 九黎Jiǔ lí people led by Chiyou during 涿鹿之戰Zhuō lù zhī zhànthe Battle of Zhuolu. As Huang Di’s and Yan Di’s tribes united, they picked a dragon as the symbol for their newly-formed tribe’s banner.

Since those prehistoric times, many Chinese people have considered themselves Huang Di and Yan Di’s descendants, and therefore, the descendants of Chinese dragons. In Chinese, people say 炎黄子孙yán huáng zǐsūn the descendants of Huang Di and Yan Di. There is also a well-known song in China that deals with 龙的传人 lóng de chuánrénthe descendants of the Chinese dragon.

From Tribes to Emperors

As you see, Chinese dragon symbol can be traced back to Ancient China. As civilization evolved, and tribes gave way to dynasties in China, the importance of the dragon grew even more. Starting in the Han Dynasty, emperors started considering themselves as dragons. It all started with Liu Bang who later on, became the First Emperor of the Han Dynasty.

One day, as his mother was dreaming of meeting a divine spirit, the sky darkened and when Liu’s father came in, he found a Chinese dragon lying next to his wife. Following this divine meeting, she became pregnant and gave birth to Liu Bang. Some people said he had a high nose, whiskers and a strange beard that made them think of a Chinese dragon’s head. Liu Bang went on to become the first Emperor of the Han Dynasty.

The following Emperors did everything they could to keep this divine bond with Chinese dragons strong. As heirs of Liu Bang, they claimed they were Chinese dragons’ sons too, and that Chinese dragon blood was running through their veins.

From then on, everything in the Emperor’s suite was embossed with Chinese dragons: from clothes to furnitures. For example, Only the Emperor was allowed to wear a dragon symbol on his clothes. Chinese dragon claws symbolized ranks in society and the higher ranked the more claws you had. Generals and leaders therefore could have up to 4 claws. Only the Emperor could wear a Chinese dragon with 5 claws, which symbolized the Emperor‘s actual hands. If someone else wore 5 claws and was not the Emperor, they would be killed.

As explained in Part 1, emperors also chose the color of their Chinese dragon to show their power. The color they choose for their Chinese dragon became the most important color in society. No one else was allowed to wear that color, or they were punished.

What about nowadays?

Chinese dragons are still a big part of Chinese culture, even if they are now more used as a mascot than a divine prodigy. The Chinese dragon has clearly become a symbol of China, recognizable all over the world.

Chinese people respect the Chinese dragon culture and some still believe in its mystical powers. Nowadays, for instance, you’ll find Chinese dragons symbols in every Chinese celebration. The Chinese New Year is the best example to give, with parades, households, and public places are all decorated with Chinese dragons.

The Chinese dragon Dance is also very appreciated in every celebration, since it wishes good luck and brings prosperity to its viewers. Here’s an example of a Chinese dragon dance, complete with a luminous Chinese dragon. It’s spectacular!

As you may know, a special festival is also dedicated to the Chinese dragon in China: the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival! You can head here to know more about this awesome festival and see how it is celebrated in China.

Zodiac signs

The Chinese dragon is also part of the Chinese astrology. The dragon sign is the fifth sign in the Chinese zodiac signs. In China, people love to have a boy born during the year of the dragon year as they say he will be lucky in life.

Persons born during Chinese dragon years are said to be ambitious, decisive and inspiring but if you’re born under the Chinese dragon zodiac sign – just like Bruce Lee – be also careful not be too confident and arrogant, as dragon signs are also rumored to have those character traits. Take no offense if you’re a Chinese dragon, that’s what your zodiac sign is saying, not me! 🙂

Have you checked your prediction for this year? Not yet? Make sure you read our post to see if the Year of the Monkey goes well with dragon signs.

Chinese dragon’s origins are unclear — the Chinese dragon being a mythological creature and all — and we have to rely on stories and legends to understand how dragons appeared in Chinese folklore. But those stories definitely help us see how the Chinese dragon became an essential symbol in Chinese society and why Chinese people are still really close to the Chinese dragon symbol. Who can blame them, Chinese dragons are fascinating, don’t you think?

If you were thinking of getting a Chinese dragon tattoo, we have an even better suggestion for you: become a Chinese dragon yourself! How? By joining Ninchanese, a Chinese learning application where you get to level up your Chinese dragon as you learn Chinese. And for those who are already learning on Ninchanese, you’re ready to beat every single boss in Ninchanese by using the Chinese dragon’s powers! You’ll improve so much now you know everything about Lupishu’s origins 🙂

Did you know any of these facts? What surprised you the most? Let us know what you thought about it!